Testing whether people can tell real from sham acupuncture
Part of Bones, joints & muscles, Brain & nervous system, Ear, nose & throat, Immune system & allergy, Lungs & breathing, Mental health clinical trials.
This study tests a new way to control for placebo effects in acupuncture research. It may help improve future studies on conditions like knee pain, insomnia, and back pain.
Summary written for real people, not researchers, by Clin2.
Who can take part
- You are between 18 and 75 years old.
- You have one of these conditions: knee osteoarthritis, insomnia, cervical spondylosis, chronic low back pain, or allergic rhinitis.
- You have sensitive points on your body that respond to touch (a sign acupuncturists look for).
- You are willing to receive sensitization acupuncture (a treatment that targets these sensitive points).
- You can answer simple questionnaires about how you feel.
- You agree to participate and sign a consent form.
- You are not currently using other acupoint treatments like moxibustion, tuina, or acupoint injections.
- You do not have a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners, or have skin infections where needles go.
- You are not pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You are not very afraid of needles, and you have not been in another acupuncture trial recently.
Quick eligibility check
Answer a few plain-language questions, based on this study's own requirements, to get a preliminary sense of fit.
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